Tauwhare sculpture by Marti Wong celebrates community’s past and present

Residents gathered at Tauwhare War Memorial Hall last weekend to bless the community's new sculpture.

The small Waikato community of Tauwhare, located between Cambridge and Morrinsville, has celebrated the blessing of a special new sculpture.

The sculpture, located outside the Tauwhare War Memorial Hall, was a community-led project that has been in the works since 2018.

The Tauwhare community had thrown their support behind the sculpture from the start with schools, hapū representatives and the two local marae being involved in the process.

Brought to life by artist Marti Wong and constructed by local builder Lockie Verner free of charge, the sculpture honours the history and development of the village.

Tauwhare Community Committee chairman Adrian Pyne said the design was an artistic interpretation of Tauwhare, which means house or place of rest.

“The sculpture embodies Tauwhare by incorporating a whare (house of rest), sun rays into the horizon (a new beginning), a steeple (the colonial church), and flax spars radiating outwards.

“The four posts that ground and secure the sculpture represent the pillars of the community past and present, including tangata whenua and early pioneers who created the haven of Tauwhare, welcoming travellers and making it a safe resting place,” Pyne said.

About 40 people gathered at the Tauwhare War Memorial Hall last weekend to bless the new sculpture.

Waikato District Council community-led development adviser Lianne van den Bemd said the sculpture project began in 2018 with a funding commitment from the council.

“[It was] secured by former councillor Rob McGuire, and through the intervening years, the local Tauwhare Community Committee persevered with the project despite committee changes, site consenting and construction issues, and the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The blessing was a great way to celebrate the tenacity shown by the Tauwhare community throughout the project. It really was a commemoration of teamwork and culture,” van den Bemd said.

The blessing was attended by Waikato District Mayor Jacqui Church, councillors Crystal Beavis, Mike Keir and Tilly Turner, the Tauwhare Community Committee, kaumātua from Te Iti o Hauaa Marae and Waimakiriri Marae, Pukemoremore, Kiingi Tuheitia’s sister Heeni Katipa, and members of the Tauwhare and Tauwhare Pa communities.

Te Iti o Hauaa Marae kaumatua Te Mape (Fred) Haimona from Tauwhare Pa, and Tauwhare Community Committee member Ants Hawes opened the occasion with prayers in te reo Māori and English.

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